Apparatus for the regulation of electric systems.



No. 821,909. PATENTED MAY 29, 1906 A. WELLS, JR. APPARATUSFOB, THE REGULATION OF ELEOTRIGSYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV 1 0, 1903.

I I v am-veM/foz GEORGE A. WELLS, JR.

, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR THE REGULATION OF ELECTRIC SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 29, 1906.

Application filed l iovember 10. 1903- Serial No. 180,536.

To all wholn it nmy concern: 7

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. WELLs, Jr., a citizen of the United States of America, and I a resident of the city, county, and State of Xew York, have invented certain new and l useful Improvements in'Apparatus for the r Regulation of Electric Systems, of which the following is a. specification.

The object of my invention is to relieve electrical systems and apparatus from the widely-varying stresses incident to or caused by the changing demands of a. fluctuating loadsuch, for instance, as exist in differentdegree in all systems for electric-power di tribution of whatsoever nature.

Yarying demands for power are perhaps most commonly manifest in electric-railway practice of the present day, and the following described improvements are applicable to such a system, although I do not confine my invention specifically to such use, as the principle is susceptible of being adapted to any electric circuit.

The gist of my inventionresides in the employment of devices whereby under normal conditions the apparatus is electrically operated so as to acquire mechanical energy, which is reconverted into electric power as occasion demands. I employ in connection with such apparatus governing mechanism to increase the s'ensitiveness thereof, so that it may respond more readily to the demands upon it. Specifically, I prefer to use an electrodynamic or dynamo-electric machine provided with a fly-wheel or other considerable mass connected to a rotating part and in combination therewith a booster to increase its sensitiveness, and hence its speed of ac tion, in adapting itself to the varying stresses of the system. This compensating machine is designed to run as a motor when the load is at its mean, and by reason of the attached mass or fly-wheel, considerable momentum is acquired thereby. When the work becomes excessive or-the supply of electric power diminishes, the acquired momentum causes the com ensating machine to run as a dynamo. bile the employment of the compensating machine alone might in itself materially aid the constancy of the power, the addition of the booster serves to assist its delicacy.

The nature, characteristic features, and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the'following description, taken in connection with the accompanying conductors 1 and 2.

drawing, forming a art hereof, and in which I have illustrated diagrammatically certain apparatus embodying specific features of my invention.

In the drawing the main source of power is represented as a generator B, connectcd'in the customary manner tothe working or line The compensating electric machine A is arranged in parallel with the generator B by means of the line conductors 1 and .2 and the cross-conductors 3 and 4, This compensating machine A may be of any suitable or well-known character. As shown in "the drawing, its field is provided with two coils A and A, the first of which is connectedto the line conductors 1 and 2, whilethe later is a series winding and is connected by the conductor A tothe booster C, hereinafter to be referred to. Thetwo coils oppose each other in varyingdegree, so that the motion is differential. The armature ofthe compensating machine is provided with a fly-wheel IV to store mechanical energy in the form of momentum and subsequently to release it as electric energy.

In order to increase the efficiency of the compensating machine A and to actas a governor therefor, I employ a booster C in series therewith and in multiple with the generator B through the line conductors 1 and 2 and the cross-conductors 3 and 4, as plainly shown in the drawing. The booster may be of any desired form to secure the desired resul tnamely, to increase the sensitiveness of the compensating machine A andtoact as a governor therefor, or, if desired, other equivalent apparatus mi ht be substituted without departing from the spirit of my invention. As shown in the drawing, I have illustrated a form of booster similar to that presented in the Letters Patent to J. B. Entz, No. 625,098, May 16, 1899, the field of the said booster being so wound and connected to the; main circuit as to render it res ondent to the different conditions of load an supply.

As shown, the field of the booster is pro vided'with coils 5, 6, and 7, the coil 5 being composed of comparatively fine wire of many turns, and the coils C and 7 are composed of comparatively few turns of coarse wire. The coil 5 is connected with the circuit so as to excite the field in one direction, and the coils 6 and 7 are connected with the circuit so as to excite the field in the opposite direction, so that the effect of coils 6 and 7 is to oppose the the effect of coil 5 in respect to magnetization of 'thl of the field. The coils 6 and 7 are in series relation with. respect to the conductor 2. However, one of them, 7, is led off from the conductor 2 on the generator side of the union of the compensating-electric machine conductor 4 with the working conductor 2, and the other coil 6 is led oil from the conductor 2 on the service side of the union of the coinpensating-electric machine conductor at with the worlnng conductor 2. The object of this arrangement will be presently described. follows: from conductor 1 by conductor 8, through coil 5, and by conductor 9 to conductor on the service side of the union of the compensating electric machine with said its ca 'iacity a regulator. In the event 'ol an increased load. in the service or Working lit t.l1 e'c(. il' 6 by, its action upon the field booster. causes the latter to add its voltage to the compensating electric machine .xliy', the same amount, as it tends to fall by arson of an increased delivery of energy 1 in amount to the increase of load on 4 nductors. In the event of' a re: d load int-he service or working cir- 1 "he coil :3 overbalances the coil 6, and its actir 'iup-on the booster deducts its voltage from the compensating electric machine to the efi'zteut that it will absorb energy from the ace: r ,orcqual to the decrease of load on the circuit, and thus keep the load on Ltor constant; but in order for the .s-teni to work constant and keep a load on the generator I) the voltage of the compensating electric machine must alwai's rise or fall' the same amount for a g vm. increase/or decrease inabsorption or wery of energy. In practice the change tage of a compensating electric machine for a given. change in current depends upon Whether the compensating machine is running above or below its normal speed. Therefore under all speedconditions of the compensating electric machine the coil 6 alone, in conmrction with the coil 5, Would not effect the regulation required for keeping the load on the gci'ierator constant and causing the compensating electric machine "to compen .1 he for change of load. The coil 7 by its opration upon the field of the booster causes the latter to govern the voltage of the componsating electric machine by a change of The circuit for the coil 5 may be as i 1c machine, although in motion, is inert on the generator constant.

:produce the total regulating effect.

erates to raise the voltage of the booster, and

therefore tends to increase the discharge of the compensating electric machine, thereby reducing the increased load that would other- Wise come on the generator. A decrease of current throughout coil 7 operates to decrease the voltage of the booster and compensating electric machine, and therefore tends to make the compensating electric machine take more I current from the generator than it would otherwise do. The action of a change of current in the coil 7 is the same as in the coil 6. If the coil 6 Works perfectly, the change in load on the Working conductors is compensated by thevariation in speed of the compensating electric machine, and no change of current-occurs through the coil 7 or in the generator. By reason of changes in the condition of the compensating electric machine the compensation of coil 6 is frequently not sufficient and change of current does get back to the generator. Such current must pass through the coil 7, which thus adds its governing effect to that of coil 6 and causes the compensating electric machine to absorb and deliver energy and to keep the load In order to govern the load on the generator by means of a single coil, such as 7, it would have to be of exceedingly large size in order to keep the load on the generator constant Within reasonable narrow limits because of a small change of current through it would have to However, to only correct imperfections of the coil 6, due to changes in the compensating-electric-machine condition, it need be of only moderatesize. It will .be obvious that the connection of such a booster or other governing device to the compensating machineA increases the delicacy of the latter and causes it to respond quickly to the various changes in the load equation.

The compensating machine A is construct ed and Wound to generate a counter electromotive force at its normals eed equaling approximately the normal vo tage of the main circuit at the average load of the system. The fluctuations in load are assumed by the compensating machine A in substantially the following manner: When the relation of power to load is raised above the avera e, either by an increase in the former or bya decrease in the latter, or by both, the excess power through the medium of the booster acts immediately to increase the speed of the ,compensating machine, and the'surplus energy thus available is stored thererin the form of momentum by means of the attached fly-wheel. If now the relation of power to load be brought below the average, either by a decrease in the former or by an increase in the latter, or by both, the deficiency in energy in the main circuit is supplied by the counter electromotive force generated by the compensating machine, which is now run as a dynamo by the previously-stored momentum in the fly-wheel. It will thus be seen that the arrangement described tends to assume and regulate the fluctuations in the main circuit, and due to the connection of the governing apparatus or booster that the sensitivencss of the compensating machine is materially increased.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention ap ertains that many modifications may be ma e in details without departing from the s irit thereof. HenceI' do not limit myself to t e precise arrangement of parts hereinabove set forth, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing. For instance, my improvement is capable of employment in connection with any system of electric distribution however sup lied or for whatever purpose intended. The compensating machine itself may be of different construction and arrangement and may or may not be provided with a fiy-wheel, as the construction of the machine might be of such a character as to enable it to store power without additional means, or other devices maybe used to store and preserve the surplus energy, and, as before stated, the booster may be of an convenient form, or it may be dispensed with entirely and other governing apparatus substituted therefor.

Having thus described the nature,construction, and o eration of my invention, what I claim, and esire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination of a generator adapted to supply the line conductors with the working current, a compensating electric machine adapted to store mechanical energy and re lease it subse uently as electric energy and connected wit the line conductors, and'a booster interposed in the connection between the said compensating electric machine and one of the line conductors.

2. Ina system of electrical distribution,

the combination of a generator adapted to supply the line conductors with the working circuit, a compensating electric machine adapted to store mechanical energy and to release it subsequently as electric energy, and connected in multiple with the generator, and a booster interposed in the circuit in series with the compensating electric machine.

3. In a system of' electrical distribution, the combination of a generator adapted to supply the line conductors with the working current, a compensating electric machine in electrical connection with the line conductors, and adapted to store mechanical energy and subsequently release it as electric energ and a booster provided yvith 'a shunt-fiel with approximately constant excitation, and provi ed further with one or more series windings opposed to the shunt-field and connected in the main circuit, said booster having its armature interposed in the electrical connection of the compensating electric machine with the main circuit.

4. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination of a generator adapted to supply the main circuit with the working current, a compensating electric machine em bod 'ng a rotary armature, adapted to store mec anical energy and subsequently release it as electric energy, and having its armature connected in multiple with the generator, and

.a booster provided with a shunt-field with approximately constant excitation, and a plurality of windings opposed to the shunt-field, and connected in series in the main current, said booster having its armature connected in series with the armature of the compensating electric machine.

5. In a system of electrical distribution, the combination with a generator, of compensating mechanism adapted to store mechanical work or energy and subsequently release it as electric energy, and a governing mechanism therefor, subject in its governing action to the variations of the working current, and adapted to generate electromotive force in accordance with said variations of current.

In witness whereof Ihave hereunto ray hand this 4th day of November, 1903.

GEORGE A. WELLS, JR.

Witnesses:

M. E. BAIRD, B. It. Aunanvgs. 

